im new to duck hunting but i have been practicing with my duck calls and have improve alot since last year.i would just like to know which i shoulod used for open water and which i should use for flooded timber areas.Single or double reed calls?

Many would have different opinions about who is the (that would be me of course) best duck hunter. Same goes for duck calls, single or double. What sound(s) are you after, how is your calling style? What will you be using it for...ringing hail call, working ducks, what? Give them some more info about your calling style and I bet more guys will reply. As for me, I have a variety of duck calls & whistles. And I'm always ready for anything, anytime, anywhere. Though, I don't prefer a double, never have, but that's just me. I'm not sure, but all the beginners/rookies I know blow doubles, I think it's a little easier to blow and doesn't require as much air or pressure. Every duck call I own are singles, that's all my pop owned and teached me with...guess that's why. My top three calls on my lanyard are as listed and numbered by my choices. 1)Buck Gardner acrylic tall timber 2) Sean Mann timber talker 3) RNT daisy cutter. Late season I like to toss in the Mallard drake buzz with my "talk." Well, in short and instead of rambling on and on, get a variety and keep them around your neck at all times and you should be alright. Never stop practicing.

As long as I got my waders on and in the marsh...who cares if I killed a duck today.

duckjunky has a good point imo. most dobles i see are blown by beginers . i know no one said this but, no one should be afraid of the single reed. i had a cheap one and it was hard to blow. latter i got a sean mann acrylic timber talker and that call is so nice. easier to blow than a double and sounds better.
a single reed is what you need for open water and imo everywhere else too.

I think there are a lot of Louisiana guides blowing Haydel DR-85's that would take offense at being called a beginner. The guy I know personnaly that has been at duck hunting the longest (50+ years) blows a double reed. I think it is all personal preference. This old guy I'm speaking of has never blown a ringing hail call, and would knock you over the head if you tried doing one while in his blind.

Having said that, I prefer a single reed because it allows you to sound like more than one duck. All double reeds that don't have a hole in the insert (Primos) will only sound like one duck. The ones with the hole can sound like two I guess?

I guess most people want volume on open water. Isn't that more of function of the design of the call versus the number of reeds? You could put a double reed set in a RNT MVP and still have a mongo loud call (don't ask me why you would do it, I'm just saying it IS an option). I've got a Cut Down Game Calls double reed that is extremely loud. It has a port on the insert the size of my thumb!

It's all preference. Just sound like a duck no matter where you are at and no matter what call you are using.

"I'll start spending less time with my dog and more with my wife when she starts fetching ducks for me"

i should have said that most beginers i see use double reeds instead of most doubles are blown by beginers. i know there are people who prefer the double and master it. i think that doubles are marketed for beginers and so you see alot of them blowing them.